1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera control system, a camera control method, a camera control server, a camera apparatus, a user interface apparatus, and the like for distributing an image via a computer network, such as the Internet, an Intranet or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an improvement in a operation of a video camera installed at a remote location in image distribution service.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in accordance with the spread of computer networks, such as the Internet, Intranets and the like, “remote apparatus service systems” which allow the user to operate a peripheral apparatus, such as a printer, a scanner or the like, installed at a remote location via a computer network have been produced more and more.
A “remote camera system” is one such system. In a remote camera system, an image from a video camera installed at a remote location can be seen at any location in the world via a computer network. In such a remote camera system not only can an image from a camera be seen, but also the orientation or the zooming magnification of the camera can be operated from a remote location.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the concept of a conventional remote camera system. As can been understood from FIG. 1, the system includes the following four types of components.                Video cameras 201, 202 and 203 for sensing images        A camera control module 204 which allows the user to operate the video cameras 201-203 from a remote location.        Camera clients 205, 206 and 207 which provide the user with a user interface for seeing a camera image or operating the camera.        A computer network 208 which connects the camera clients 205-207 to the camera control module 204.        
The main function of the remote camera system is provided by the camera control module 204. In FIG. 1, the camera control module 204 can be realized by means of any hardware. Usually, however, the camera control module 204 is mounted as software in an ordinary personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a “PC”). In such step, the video camera is connected to the PC by a communication means such as RS232C or the like. In a conventional approach, the camera control module 204 is integrated with the video camera.
In any of the conventional approaches, the camera control module 204 requires an interpretation/execution unit for interpreting/executing a “camera-operation request” transmitted from a camera client, and a camera-operation-right arbitration unit for determining, when a plurality of camera clients simultaneously request to operate the same camera, to which camera client the operation right for the camera is to be provided.
In ordinary conventional remote camera systems, a single camera control module usually operates a single camera. There exist conventional systems in which a single camera control module controls a plurality of cameras. Even in such systems, however, only a single camera can be actually be operated, and it is impossible to operate other cameras simultaneously.
It is possible to apparently operate a plurality of cameras by providing a plurality of camera control modules. In this case, however, each camera is independently operated by a dedicated module. Accordingly, it is difficult to cause a plurality of cameras to operate in cooperation with one another, or to be linked with one another compensating for problems in other cameras.